1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a thermal printer selectively usable of printing paper in either fan-fold or roll form.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the general thermal printer of a roll form printing paper using type, both ends of roll form paper are supported by two arm-like supports so that the roll form paper is transported between a drive roller and a press-contact roller. While, the same of a fan-fold form printing paper using type generally transports the printing paper by use of a feed roller with sprockets.
Accordingly, one printer usually is impossible to selectively use both the roll form and fan-fold form printing paper, which has been inconvenient.
The U.S. Pat. No. 3,829,185 has been proposed in order to eliminate such inconvenience, which discloses the provision of a sealed chamber for housing therein the fan-fold or roll form printing paper, means for tensioning the printing paper to be fed to an electrostatic head, and a broad leaf member positioned between the fan-fold form printing paper housed in the sealed chamber and the same stretched to be fed to the head and expanding transversely of the sealed chamber to the printing head, thereby preventing rubbing contact of fan-fold form printing paper housed in the sealed chamber with the same having been stretched.
The invention of the above patent, however, is constructed to house the fan-fold form printing paper always in the bottom of the printer, whereby it is deemed that the printer increases in the size as a whole and exchange of printing paper is not smooth.